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| Biden to address nation on Thursday to mark one year of Covid lockdowns – live | Biden to address nation on Thursday to mark one year of Covid lockdowns – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Speech will be president’s first primetime address since becoming president | Speech will be president’s first primetime address since becoming president |
| Amudalat Ajasa reports for the Guardian from Minneapolis: | |
| The judge overseeing the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused of murdering George Floyd delayed the start of jury selection on Monday for at least a day while an appeal proceeds over the possible reinstatement of an additional charge. | |
| Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the courthouse demanding racial justice and the conviction of Derek Chauvin, who is white and was fired and charged with murder after he knelt on Floyd’s neck when the Black man had been forced to the ground during an attempted arrest last May. | |
| Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter but the Minnesota court of appeals ruled last Friday that a previous, lesser charge of third-degree murder should be reinstated in the trial by the judge, Peter Cahill. | |
| Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s lead lawyer, told the court on Monday morning that Chauvin would soon ask the Minnesota supreme court to overturn Friday’s order, a process that could take weeks. | |
| Prosecutors from the Minnesota attorney general’s office urged the court to delay jury selection until that issue was resolved, fearing that picking a jury when the number of charges was still unresolved could make an appeal easier. | |
| Cahill declined. Prosecutors then said they would ask the appeals court to intervene to delay the trial. Cahill suspended the proceedings until Tuesday morning. | |
| At least two prominent Missouri Democrats have already said they do not plan to run for Roy Blunt’s Senate seat, after the Republican lawmaker announced he would not seek reelection next year. | |
| Former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, who lost her 2018 reelection race to Republican Josh Hawley, said she did not plan to run for office ever again. | |
| And Jason Kander, the former Missouri secretary of state who lost to Blunt by 3 points in 2016, said he would continue focusing on his work to end veteran homelessness. | |
| Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has released a statement about Senator Roy Blunt’s announcement that he will not seek reelection next year. | Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has released a statement about Senator Roy Blunt’s announcement that he will not seek reelection next year. |
| “Senator Blunt’s announced retirement will be a loss for the Republican conference and the entire Senate. In just 10 years in this body, he’s quickly become a true leader, a policy heavyweight, and a driving force behind both key conservative victories and essential bipartisan work,” McConnell said. | “Senator Blunt’s announced retirement will be a loss for the Republican conference and the entire Senate. In just 10 years in this body, he’s quickly become a true leader, a policy heavyweight, and a driving force behind both key conservative victories and essential bipartisan work,” McConnell said. |
| “Throughout this pandemic no individual Senator has done more to drive testing efforts or advance the historic and successful sprint to vaccines. ... Sen. Blunt has tackled so much important work for Missouri and our country and has been an enormous asset to all his colleagues. I’m very sorry he’ll be stepping away but am glad the country has two more years to keep benefitting from his talent.” | “Throughout this pandemic no individual Senator has done more to drive testing efforts or advance the historic and successful sprint to vaccines. ... Sen. Blunt has tackled so much important work for Missouri and our country and has been an enormous asset to all his colleagues. I’m very sorry he’ll be stepping away but am glad the country has two more years to keep benefitting from his talent.” |
| Blunt announced this morning that he would not run for reelection next year, making him the fifth Senate Republican who will retire after this election cycle. The retirement of Blunt, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Republican policy committee, also creates an opening on McConnell’s leadership team. | Blunt announced this morning that he would not run for reelection next year, making him the fifth Senate Republican who will retire after this election cycle. The retirement of Blunt, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Republican policy committee, also creates an opening on McConnell’s leadership team. |
| The House now reportedly plans to take a final vote on the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. | The House now reportedly plans to take a final vote on the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. |
| CNN reports: | CNN reports: |
| Joe Biden told reporters moments ago that he intends to sign the relief bill “as soon as I can get it,” which may now be Wednesday night. | Joe Biden told reporters moments ago that he intends to sign the relief bill “as soon as I can get it,” which may now be Wednesday night. |
| The president plans to deliver a primetime address on Thursday to mark one year since coronavirus lockdowns started, and he will likely use the speech to tout the passage of the relief bill. | The president plans to deliver a primetime address on Thursday to mark one year since coronavirus lockdowns started, and he will likely use the speech to tout the passage of the relief bill. |
| Joe Biden just paid a visit to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Washington, DC, where the president emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible. | Joe Biden just paid a visit to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Washington, DC, where the president emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible. |
| “We’re doing pretty good across the country,” Biden told the VA employees. “We’re going to hit 100 million soon.” | “We’re doing pretty good across the country,” Biden told the VA employees. “We’re going to hit 100 million soon.” |
| The VA site has been distributing coronavirus vaccines to veterans, and the president listened as one worker explained how she mixes the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine. “God love you,” Biden told the VA employee. | |
| Biden also joked that he would love to receive another vaccine dose, but he told the workers, “I’ve had my two.” | Biden also joked that he would love to receive another vaccine dose, but he told the workers, “I’ve had my two.” |
| Asked by reporters when he will sign the coronavirus relief bill that the Senate passed on Saturday, Biden replied, “As soon as I can get it.” | Asked by reporters when he will sign the coronavirus relief bill that the Senate passed on Saturday, Biden replied, “As soon as I can get it.” |
| The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports: | The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports: |
| Georgia lawmakers in the state senate are beginning to debate a controversial bill that would impose sweeping new restrictions on voting rights in the state, including getting rid of no-excuse absentee voting. | Georgia lawmakers in the state senate are beginning to debate a controversial bill that would impose sweeping new restrictions on voting rights in the state, including getting rid of no-excuse absentee voting. |
| After some uncertainty, Republicans appear to have garnered enough support to pass the measure. | After some uncertainty, Republicans appear to have garnered enough support to pass the measure. |
| You can watch the debate here. | You can watch the debate here. |
| Security at the US Capitol badly needs a boost, a task force said today after reviewing the situation at the seat of the US Congress, in Washington, DC, in the aftermath of the deadly insurrection of January 6. | Security at the US Capitol badly needs a boost, a task force said today after reviewing the situation at the seat of the US Congress, in Washington, DC, in the aftermath of the deadly insurrection of January 6. |
| The task force recommends creating a new quick-reaction force in Washington and also said that the Capitol Police force was poorly prepared for January 6. | The task force recommends creating a new quick-reaction force in Washington and also said that the Capitol Police force was poorly prepared for January 6. |
| Reuters further reports: | Reuters further reports: |
| Donald Trump has now officially lost all of his legal challenges to November’s presidential election result that he and his team took to the supreme court. | Donald Trump has now officially lost all of his legal challenges to November’s presidential election result that he and his team took to the supreme court. |
| A little earlier today the court announced that the court’s bench of nine justices had refused to take up the very much former president’s final case, a challenge arising out of the Wisconsin result (Trump lost the state, after winning it in 2016). | A little earlier today the court announced that the court’s bench of nine justices had refused to take up the very much former president’s final case, a challenge arising out of the Wisconsin result (Trump lost the state, after winning it in 2016). |
| The story has been reported by Buzzfeed, including: | The story has been reported by Buzzfeed, including: |
| The White House press briefing has now concluded. Here’s where the day stands so far: | The White House press briefing has now concluded. Here’s where the day stands so far: |
| Joe Biden will deliver a primetime address on Thursday to mark one year since the start of coronavirus lockdowns, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced moments ago. The speech will be Biden’s first primetime address since becoming president. | Joe Biden will deliver a primetime address on Thursday to mark one year since the start of coronavirus lockdowns, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced moments ago. The speech will be Biden’s first primetime address since becoming president. |
| The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its long-awaited guidance for fully vaccinated Americans. According to the CDC guidance, those who have been fully vaccinated can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household without wearing masks, as long as everyone in the household is healthy and low risk. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its long-awaited guidance for fully vaccinated Americans. According to the CDC guidance, those who have been fully vaccinated can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household without wearing masks, as long as everyone in the household is healthy and low risk. |
| The trial for the former police officer who killed George Floyd has been delayed. The trial of Derek Chauvin was scheduled to begin today with jury selection. | The trial for the former police officer who killed George Floyd has been delayed. The trial of Derek Chauvin was scheduled to begin today with jury selection. |
| The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. |
| Senator Joe Manchin has said he is open to changing the rules around the Senate filibuster to make it more difficult to invoke. | Senator Joe Manchin has said he is open to changing the rules around the Senate filibuster to make it more difficult to invoke. |
| But White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Joe Biden does not embrace that idea. | But White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Joe Biden does not embrace that idea. |
| “His preference is not to make changes to the filibuster rules,” Psaki said of the president. | “His preference is not to make changes to the filibuster rules,” Psaki said of the president. |
| With the filibuster in place, Republicans can block much of Biden’s legislative agenda in the evenly divided Senate. | With the filibuster in place, Republicans can block much of Biden’s legislative agenda in the evenly divided Senate. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Joe Biden and Senator Joe Manchin, the moderate Democrat from West Virginia, “speak regularly”. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Joe Biden and Senator Joe Manchin, the moderate Democrat from West Virginia, “speak regularly”. |
| Manchin has repeatedly said he does not want to eliminate the Senate filibuster, and he has now indicated he does not want to support future bills unless they have some Republican support. | Manchin has repeatedly said he does not want to eliminate the Senate filibuster, and he has now indicated he does not want to support future bills unless they have some Republican support. |
| Manchin’s comments have raised many questions about whether Biden will be able to advance any of his legislative priorities with an evenly divided Senate. | Manchin’s comments have raised many questions about whether Biden will be able to advance any of his legislative priorities with an evenly divided Senate. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. |
| Psaki sidestepped the question, emphasizing that Meghan and Harry live as “private citizens” and that the US maintains a “special relationship” with the UK. | Psaki sidestepped the question, emphasizing that Meghan and Harry live as “private citizens” and that the US maintains a “special relationship” with the UK. |
| The press secretary added that Joe Biden always commends those who bravely come forward to discuss their struggles with mental health. | The press secretary added that Joe Biden always commends those who bravely come forward to discuss their struggles with mental health. |